Cited by 106Paleontology and Stratigraphy of FossilsMethane Hydrates and Related PhenomenaOrigins and Evolution of Life

Microbial fixation of methane carbon at 2.7 Ga: was an anaerobic mechanism possible?

Hinrichs, Kai‐Uwe·2002·Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems

Abstract

In Earth's history, the most extreme episode of 13C‐depletion in sedimentary organic matter occurred about 2.7 billion years ago. This isotopic excursion is widely interpreted as resulting from increased burial of organic carbon derived from microbial fixation of 13C‐depleted methane. Modern microbial physiologies involve either oxygen or sulfate as electron acceptors in such processes. Until now, the isotopic signal has been exclusively assigned to growth of aerobic, methanotrophic bacteria and consequently interpreted as an indication for the presence of molecular oxygen in Late Archaean surface environments. The alternative anaerobic pathway involving sulfate as the electron acceptor was dismissed because this process has been considered inefficient in producing biomass sufficient to account for significant fractions of 13C‐depleted carbon in some Archaean rocks. Calculations based on recent findings at two modern sites now show, however, that anaerobic processes could account for the Archaean signal.

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Crossref · 10.1029/2001gc000286

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  • There is much evidence that H2O and biogenic CH4 were most likely also present around 2.6-2.8 Ga.

    “Besides the main atmospheric species CO 2 and N 2 there is much evidence that H 2 O and biogenic CH 4 were most likely also present around 2.6 - 2.8 Ga (Hinrichs 2002; Zahnle et al. 2010; Zerkle et al. 2012; Lammer et al. 2018).”

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Authors
Hinrichs, K.
Affiliations
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (US)
Corresponding author
Hinrichs, Kai‐Uwe
Venue
Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems
Published
2002-07
Volume
3
Issue
7
Pages
1-10
ISSN
1525-2027 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1566776431
Cited by
106
References
38
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 11
FWCI
4.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Paleontology › Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Origins and Evolution of Life
Keywords
microbial carbon fixation, carbon isotope excursion, sulfate-reducing bacteria, anaerobic oxidation of methane, methanotrophic bacteria, Late Archean, sediment organic carbon, early Earth

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